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Car buyers are still faced with bare-bones showrooms. U.S. retail inventories are expected to have fallen to 900,000 vehicles in July, according to JD Power.
But now the new problem is fewer buyers.
“Rising interest rates and low consumer sentiment are keeping many potential buyers out of the market,” Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, told Automotive News. “[Meanwhile,] higher prices for both gasoline and vehicles make affordability even more of a challenge.”
However, in the near term, Chesbrough admits that tight supplies “continue to be the biggest obstacle … and there is little evidence that supplies are returning to normal.”
Automakers blamed those tight inventories for the double-digit sales declines posted by six of the seven automakers in July. In total, these automakers reported a 15% decline in sales from 2021, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center.
LMC Automotive reported that US sales fell 12% in July, the 12th straight month of year-over-year volume declines.
And retail sales fell below 1 million for the third month in a row in July, LMC reported.
Motor Intelligence reported annual sales of 13.5 million in July, down from 2021’s 14.81 million but higher than June’s SAAR of 13.22 million.
In response, LMC cut its 2022 forecast for US light vehicle output to 14 million from 14.3 million in June, noting that “uncertainty is increasing” through 2023.
Jesse Toprak, chief analyst at Autonomy, told Automotive News that he doesn’t expect a “full recovery” in industry sales for at least two years.
“Geopolitical risks will remain,” he said, noting that the situation in Taiwan is being closely watched because the country produces the bulk of the semiconductor chip supply.
Ford Motor Co. became the only automaker to post a year-over-year increase in July sales, up 37% in the U.S. in July.
Sales of the company’s crossovers and trucks grew by 70%, thanks to new models such as the Mustang Mach-E, Bronco and Bronco Sport. The volume of collection increased by only 27%.
However, Ford reported that more than half of July sales came from previously placed orders.
Toyota Motor’s North American sales fell 21%, with Toyota sales down 21% and Lexus sales down 23%. The sales decline marks the automaker’s 12 consecutive months of sales declines. However, Tacoma sales were up 1.4% to 23,917, and Tundra volume was up 66% to 10,694.
American Honda recorded July sales down 47%, with Acura sales down 59% and Honda division sales down 46%. Sales of Hyundai and Kia fell by 11%. Only four Hyundai models — the Accent, Santa Cruz, Tucson and Veloster — saw sales increase in July. Subaru sales fell 17% in July, while Mazda sales fell 29%.
Volvo reports 41% drop in July volumes, Genesis sales up 20 yearsthousand month in a row to 5,203 deliveries.
Vehicles on the lot are often already discussed, such as these Ford Broncos in Granger, Iowa.
LMC cites the inventory crisis as the reason for the fall in sales. The inventory shortage cost automakers 1.65 million units of potential demand in the U.S. through July.
Kia, Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Lexus, Porsche, Hyundai, Land Rover, BMW and Acura started July with the lowest inventory levels, while Ram, Volvo, Jeep, Lincoln and Audi had the highest inventory levels, according to Cox Automotive .
Toyota had 104,790 vehicles in stock at the end of July — 14,258 in dealerships and 90,532 in port or transit — with a 16-day supply. Hyundai ended July with 14,784 passenger vehicles in US inventory, up from 46,113 at the end of July 2021. And Mazda closed July with just 6,868 vehicles, or six days’ supply.


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LG Wing users may soon have reason to join. An anonymous tipster tells us that his Verizon LG Wing just received an update to enable the carrier’s new mid-band 5G network—even though LG Mobile has gone out of business.
Verizon confirms that the LG Wing C-band update is now in its testing labs, although the company says it hasn’t been widely distributed yet. Our tipster may just have gotten a file that slipped through the cracks. When an update like this hits Verizon’s labs, it’s typically released within a few weeks, unless it has major bugs.
The C-band update is version F100VM20e, also known as System Update 11. Verizon’s official support page for the Wing shows the most recent software update to be F100VM20d.
This screen shows the update version and the ‘5G UW’ indicator, in this case indicating C-Band coverage. (PCMag)
The LG Wing, released in late 2020, has a swiveling screen that turns the phone into a “T” shape as well as a virtual gimbal mode for ultra-stabilized videos. It got middling reviews because it’s thick, heavy, and there are always software compatibility issues with odd form factors. But it was a wild swing of the kind that you don’t see many of anymore.
LG backed out of the mobile phone market entirely in mid-2021. However, it did say it would keep supporting its phones, and it looks like it’s living up to that promise.
Recommended by Our Editors
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE GLORY. (Photo: Sasha Segan)
The update enables faster speeds and the “5G UW” icon in areas where Verizon has mid-band 5G. In our testing, Verizon’s mid-band 5G network is noticeably faster than Verizon’s “nationwide 5G” system. Verizon says it currently covers more than 100 million people and will cover 175 million by the year’s end.
We have a full list of Verizon C-Band phones. On Swappa, the Verizon-branded LG Wing is selling for $265-$309, which looks like a good deal if you are into weird phones.
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TopTen AI collects the new releases of the AI field, covering new AI technology, AI tools, news & events. Find here to get the latest information in the AI field!
Now all you have to do is simply install an AI camera at world cup matches, and all the match beauty will be captured without any cameraman.
AI image generator has successfully taken the role of manual image generation with tools. Image generation is quite difficult.
VanceAI has launched an art generator based on AI its usage is the same as the previous tools. Check out this new VanceAI Art Generator.
VanceAI Image Upscaler can update your image's features by enhancing them. You can upscale image without quality loss with one click.
AI image recognition is how modern technology sees the world. Image recognition online is based on AI that detects the features of images.
Newly-released Stable Diffusion has exceeded our expectation but also arouse some unavoidable issues like copyright.
The contributions of AI in Education can really make an impact on the social upbringing of children, students as well as help the management.
Facebook metaverse, a gateway to a digital world, is the greatest upcoming future. A platform where reality changes into a virtual world.
In governmental and public services of the global system industry, AI in government is used, although it depends on agencies' requirements.
AI plays a vital role in self-driving cars. Click and see how AI accelerate the automobile industry and how self-driving car works.


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24 inch PlayStation 3D TV revealed
Sony will be launching a new PlayStation branded 24 inch 3D TV in a bid to make 3D gaming more affordable.
The new TV will launch in a special bundle aimed at budget gamers and families who want a 3D experience for the kids room.
The bundle will feature Resistance 3, a six-foot HDMI cable and a pair of Bluetooth 3D glasses alongside the TV making it a very attractive package indeed.
This is made more attractive by the price, just 499.99 USD. The TV and the bundle will be available later on this year.
- Report finds that the 100 USD tier of Assassin's Creed: Unity's microtransactions is completely unnecessary
- Final Fantasy Type-0 HD gets a new trailer
- Bungie deconstructs their latest Destiny patch, hints at what is coming next
- DayZ creator Dean Hall could join UK studio Improbable
- Shadow Of Mordor arrives on last-gen consoles
- David Braben apologises for ditching Elite: Dangerous's offline mode, outlines refund criteria
- Microsoft celebrates the 1st birthday of the Xbox One with free access to Sunset Overdrive
- Hacker group leaks account details for thousands of PSN, Origin, Windows Live and 2K Game Studios accounts
- RedLynx promises online multiplayer is coming to Trials Fusion early next year


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Unemployment in Summit County continues to decline.
In February, the countywide unemployment rate was 2.9 percent.According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment April report, Summit County’s rate is now 2.1 percent, the lowest rate in the state with 12 other counties. Other counties with lower rates than the Summit include Douglas (2.3%), Jackson (2%) and Elbert (2.3%).
The state’s unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, according to the department’s April report.
Typically, lower unemployment rates are associated with hiring difficulties. This isn’t a new challenge for Summit County businesses. Over the past year or so, many owners say they have struggled to fill open positions.Some even have Reduce or switch services tackle challenges while others try to Improve employee wages and benefits.
But the two local business frontmen sang to a different tune. Both Ariel Johnston and Lori Maphies said they were not struggling with staffing as they entered what is expected to be a particularly busy summer travel season.
Johnston co-owns Summit County stores Everything Colorado, Frisco Trading Post and Copper Mountain Mercantile. She also co-owns True Blue Coffee & Gelato. About 20 jobs are needed to keep all four businesses running, Johnston said. All but a few new positions at True Blue have been filled. The coffee shop just got a liquor license, so now Johnston says she’s looking for someone who is at least 21 years old.
Even so, she said she wasn’t worried about filling those positions.
“For us, we’ve done a really good job with staffing,” Johnston said. “When our headcount starts to drop below our headcount, basically what we do is one of the bosses – myself, my sister or my dad – will come in and fill the shift until we find the right person. … I think it helps to find the right people.”
Mapphies relies on the same backup options as Johnston. Maphies, who co-owns Marigolds Farmhouse Funk & Junk in Breckenridge with her sister and daughter, said if they were short of staff, the three owners would work overtime to ensure the store remained open.
Typically, the store relies on seven positions to stay afloat, all of which are currently full. Historically, the store has not had a hard time keeping those positions staffed, Maphies said.
“I just think it’s an interesting store and we have a lot of loyal customers,” Maphies said of Marigold’s. “We just have a lot of people who are willing to spend more time there. Honestly, that’s exactly what I think. We offer competitive wages, we offer discounts to our employees, so I think that’s going to attract a lot of people who really like our store and customers who are willing to be with us.”
Other factors are at play: Johnston said last year that the owner decided to invest in a two-bedroom unit to provide staff housing for some of the staff.
She also mentioned The Pad, a new inn-hotel hybrid in Silverthorne that will allow people to experience Summit County life before deciding to move entirely to the community. She said she hired a lot of people who used to live in The Pad and used it to transition to Summit County after moving.
Blair McGary, executive director of the Summit Chamber of Commerce, said that’s not to say other businesses aren’t having trouble hiring.
“People have left the community — at least 25 percent throughout the pandemic — so even though we have low unemployment, that doesn’t mean staffing has improved,” McGarry said in a statement. said in an email. “When unemployment is low, but there are still plenty of vacancies, it means skills don’t match job opportunities.”
This is likely to be the case, especially as more jobs are added to the market. Private sectors with notable job gains for the month included the state’s leisure and hospitality industry, which added 6,400 jobs statewide, according to the April report. The trade, transportation and utilities industries added about 3,200 jobs. Construction added about 1,900 jobs.
As more jobs are added to the market and competition to attract talent remains fierce, businesses will need to stand out and stand out in their applications.
“I think places that become creative and flexible with their employees are doing a good job of attracting and retaining employees,” McGarry said in an email.


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Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer — part of French luxury goods group Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) — is planning to retail its products online. “We are exploring the opportunity to sell not only our mobile phones but also exclusive luxury items and techno-design accessories developed especially for retailing through the internet,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, president and CEO, TAG Heuer.
“We don’t have enough boutiques across the globe to retail these exclusive products. And we don’t want to sell them through the watch and jewellery stores as they are more mass channels,” added Babin.
The company has already designed memory sticks, external hardware and other techno-accessories for men. “These accessories are made with advanced technology from the TAG Heuer stables and we are currently testing these products,” he added.
In India, TAG Heuer retails in 24 cities, through 74 outlets. The company sold around 11,000 watches last year.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau


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Geographical data is one of the Holy Grails of large tech companies; it can be used to understand customer behavior, build people’s profiles, and build smart cities. These companies even use this data to sell targeted advertising. This is hardly a secret. If you wish, you can go to Google History at https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity to find out right now the data that Google has collected from your searches, including the ones made through their voice assistant. You will find that in some of these, your network’s geographical location is included. I have included a couple of screenshots from my own Google History below:
Even though one can modify the security settings and even erase these data, security concerns are still being raised, for instance: who has access to these records? How can people be sure that there are no copies of them stored elsewhere? How can the less tech-savvy population manage their data? And, is it even possible to monitor what data is being collected about you across devices and companies?
Introducing the new Amazon Sidewalk mesh network.
Last month, Amazon announced its new wireless protocol called Sidewalk, which is aimed to provide internet over radio waves for devices that use low-power connections such as smart lights, cameras, and other devices. According to Amazon’s Day One Staff, “Customers shouldn’t have to settle for connected devices that lose functionality past the front door, which is why we’re excited to introduce Amazon Sidewalk.” Amazon claims that the range of these devices can be extended with their Sidewalk project by 1.5 miles. So how does Amazon plan to achieve this, and what does this translate to for the end-users?
According to said Carole Theriault, from Smashing Security, Amazon plans to use their new internet routers, (EEROs) for home use to build large interconnected data-transmitting systems called mesh networks or meshnets. “Sidewalk will use this proliferation of EERO devices to build a mesh network, or a wireless network where each device communicates with one another. And the idea is that all the devices will work together to transmit data across networks spanning large, broad geographical areas. So for example according to Amazon’s own announcement, the company found that pacing 700 devices across LA was enough to cover the entire metropolitan area of the city.” You can listen to Carole Theriault’s segment here.
For end-users, Amazon’s meshnets would mean being able to control remote devices with reliable connectivity outside their own wi-fi networks, keep track of their pets using the new Fetch tags, and just extend the internet of things in general beyond what is currently possible. The repercussions of what these data could mean for urban design, planning, and the further integration of technology with city spaces are unforeseeable, especially alongside artificial intelligence. Imagine a city that knows the exact location of every smart divice at all times and can predict the behavior of its inhabitants and even adapt to it.
However, what about all this data? Is it secure? Amazon claims that its Sideway protocol is. There are also privacy concerns regarding access to personal geographical data. The main issue is that it is not possible to know how much the tech companies will be able to find out about individuals once they pair their location data along with other types of data. In other words, a powerful AI system will not only be able to know and predict people’s location at any given time, but it may also be able to accurately predict the reason for it. For instance, based on a person’s search history and internet shopping data, a smart city could tell that you soon will be visiting the hospital and why. Based on this it will also be able to predict which of your relatives and friends will be going to the hospital to visit you and it will suggest to them shopping gifts that other people buy for this type of situation. I could go on, but, dear reader, you get the gist.
- If you want to learn more about Amazon Sidewalk, you can visit Amazon’s blog here.
- For a critical review of Sidewalk, I recommend reading this blog post by CNET.
- This Wikipedia article is a good introduction to meshnets.


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By Angeleen Nkwocha
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said that over 45 million Nigerians have access to high speed internet as a result of the facilitation of broadband penetration which is currently at 22 percent.
The NCC boss added that efforts are underway to meet the 30 percent target of the National Broadband Plan by the end of this year.
Danbatta stated this in Kano over last weekend, where he was honoured with a Technology Development and Leadership award at the Kano Heroes award aimed at honouring illustrious sons of Kano both past and alive who have demonstrated dedication, commitment, integrity and selfless service to the development of Kano State and the nation at large.
Danbatta said his administrationa��s road map is still on course to ensure consumers satisfaction.
a�?We are busy as you are aware implementing eight items of this agenda for facilitating broadband penetration we are at 22 percent which means close to 45million Nigerians have access to high speed internet. We have the target of 30% to reach by the end of this year according to the National Broadband plan. On protecting and empowering the consumer we have dedicated the year 2017 as the year of the telecom consumer and through that campaign we have sensitized consumers on how they can protect themselves from unsolicited text messages by texting STOP to the code 2442.
a�?We have equally through this campaign of protecting and empowering the consumer enlightened them about the existence of the Toll free number 622 through which they can lay complaints about the quality of service they are receivinga�?.
While appreciating the award he said it will spur him to work harder, and encourage the youths live up to responsibilities assigned them.
Amongst the passed illustrious sons honoured were: late Head of State, Murtala Ramat Muhammad, late Emir of Kano Ado Bayero; late Maitama Sule; late Abubakar Rimi; late Malam Aminu Kano.


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Lost in the post: 18,000 jobs
ROYAL Mail bosses face a grilling by MPs over almost 18,000 'missing' postal workers who have cost the firm £449m.
The powerful Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee will this week demand to know why Royal Mail has made the massive provision for nearly 20,000 redundancies when its books show that fewer than 2,400 jobs have gone.
Committee chairman, Labour's Martin O'Neill, confirmed that MPs want urgent answers from postal bosses after leaders of the Communication Workers' Union called for an investigation into the apparent discrepancy.
There is a growing suspicion that Royal Mail chiefs have been talking up the plight of the industry in the run-up to a national strike ballot on a 14.5% conditional pay offer - a suspicion shared by the regulator Postcomm.
Bosses have warned of the dire consequences of a strike. Management says the company is losing £1m a day and faces massive competition.
Accounts for the year to March show that most of Royal Mail's £611m loss was accounted for by the redundancy provision of £449m.
The bulk of the losses are in the Post Office, while the mail and parcels businesses, where most 'redundancies' have been earmarked, made a £12m profit.
Confusion over the numbers intensified last week when chief executive Adam Crozier said that 13,000 workers had left already. Three months earlier, Royal Mail chairman Alan Leighton said that 16,600 workers had gone.
A Royal Mail spokesman said last week: 'There are now about 210,000 people at Royal Mail and two years ago there were about 230,000.' But audited accounts show that in 2001 there were 217,964 workers, while in 2003 there were 215,567, a fall of only 2,397.
Sources at Postcomm said they tended to believe the unions. One said: 'The word is spin. Royal Mail tends to exaggerate its plight. It's all doom and gloom, but actually mail volumes are increasing and the effect of competition has been negligible.'
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An Antidote to Corporate Media
1,053,909 comments by 12,437 users -
"Car" attacks Apple Store, at least one death
2022 Nov 21, 11:06am 71 views 0 comments
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One person has died and four are in critical condition after an SUV deliberately smashed through the glass of Apple Derby Street in Hingham, Massachusetts, on Monday morning.
Apple Derby Street has been closed following a black Toyota 4Runner SUV being driven through the storefront glass at around 11am local time. The 4,000 square-foot Apple Store is located toward the rear of a shopping plaza, with a car park in front of it.
A Fire Marshall at the scene described the crash as probably "intentional." In a statement, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said that there was an "active criminal investigation."
The longer it stays a "Car" being the perp, the more likely it's one of Ye's and Irving's "Israelites" "Real Jews"
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Harrisburg-based Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Inc. announced Tuesday that it raised more than $580,000 to benefit 114 Feeding America member food banks in the communities Ollie’s serves.
The money was donated through an in-store fundraising campaign the closeout retailer conducted from April 10 to May 7 at 438 participating stores.
“With inflation at an all-time high, we are proud to be continuing our partnership with Feeding America for a third year to help the communities we serve provide food for their families,” John Swygert, Ollie’s president and CEO, said in a release. “With the help of our generous customers, we are able to support thousands of people in need across the 29 states we operate our business.”
“More than 38 million people, including 12 million children, experience hunger in the U.S.,” added Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “Communities across the country are feeling the impact of rising food prices and many neighbors are turning to their local food banks for assistance. Feeding America is grateful to provide even more meals to neighbors in need thanks to our partnership with Ollie’s.”
Paula Wolf is a freelance writer.


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Sir Martin Sorrell, who resigned as chief executive of advertising giant WPP at the weekend, once said he would "carry on until they carry me out of the glue factory".
The 73-year-old was the longest serving chief executive of a FTSE 100 firm - and the highest paid.
Having taken over a small UK wire and plastics company more than three decades ago, he turned it into a multinational marketing giant with 3,000 offices in 112 countries.
But earlier this month, a question mark was raised over the future of his remarkable career when WPP opened a probe into allegations of misconduct.
That investigation into use of company money is now closed. And Sir Martin has always strongly rejected the allegations.
But it won't be the circumstances in which he would have preferred to retire.
Sir Martin bought a stake in WPP, then called Wire & Plastic Products, in 1985 and began a relentless pursuit of acquisitions and expansion that turned the small engineering firm into a global marketing and advertising powerhouse.
WPP is now the world's biggest advertising group, while Sir Martin has become an influential figure on the global corporate stage.
As news of the internal investigation emerged, separate reports suggested some investors were agitating for a succession plan for the 73-year-old chief.
Sir Martin, who has faced criticism that he runs WPP as a personal fiefdom, is no stranger to controversy, particularly over his salary, which in 2015 hit £70m.
The size of the pay package sparked an unsuccessful shareholder revolt.
In one of the many defences of his lucrative pay deals he said his aim was to "start something from scratch and to build it into something of significance".
Sir Martin, knighted in 2000, was finance director of ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi when he left to join WPP.
Industry veteran Roger Parry says it was never Sir Martin's "original concept" to establish a global giant.
"But JWT (J Walter Thompson) came up for sale and he understood the stock market much better than anyone else in the industry. So, he was able to raise the money to buy it.
"And that was the start of his big advertising agency era," Mr Parry said.
In 1989 Sir Martin also bought ad agency Ogilvy & Mather - famously clashing during the takeover with co-founder David Ogilvy, another influential figure in the industry.
The dispute was not just seen as a clash of personalities, but also a clash of generations as a more expansionist and financially-driven approach took hold of the ad industry.
"What sets him apart [Sir Martin] is a ruthless, single-minded focus, and also an attention to detail that is probably unparalleled in the industry," said Marc Mendoza, formerly chief executive of Havas Media and a non-executive chairman of VCCP Media,
"He knows the ins-and-outs of every small thing that happens. My understanding is he answers emails directly, no matter what time of the day or night and he's a complete and utter workaholic," he said.
Key to WPP's growth was Sir Martin's use of acquisitions to set up a "one-stop shop" for major businesses for the first time in the UK.
Mr Mendoza said: "The thing he did differently is he played scale. He could go to people and say we're the biggest and we can give you the biggest discounts. [He] created a one-stop-shop at a time when people weren't doing that - that was a really unusual thing to be done.
"Advertisers were used to boutique agencies, and suddenly this guy came along and said - I tell you what, we're going to put the whole thing together in one place and you can have everything you want. The acquisitions were very wise and he put the companies together very cleverly," Mr Mendoza said.
But you don't grow that fast and that big without creating enemies. One senior industry executive said Sir Martin was unpopular among some advertising professionals because they felt he cared more about financials than creativity.
Yet, Sir Martin is also hugely respected in the industry, not least because he has the ear of senior business leaders "precisely because he speaks the language of finance and operates on another level," the source said.
However, WPP, like the broader industry, is facing new challenges.
The industry executive told the BBC: "There are lots of threats to the industry. Amazon, Facebook, Google, and the rise of consultants like Accenture and Deloitte, are moving into this space.
"There has been a sense among clients that these huge network businesses that looked impressive now look big and cumbersome and not agile.
"You can now create a campaign without having offices all over the world, and the clients are paying for all these offices," he said.
Sir Martin built WPP into a global force because he saw a new way of doing things that allowed him to overturn the old order.
But is the WPP-way now outdated? The challenge for Sir Martin's successor is tackling the competitive threats from some new kids on the block.


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The office of the Small Business Commissioner was launched by the government under the Enterprise Act 2016 to tackle late payment and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector.
Swindon & Wiltshire Business News
Chartered accountant Haines Watts Swindon has appointed two new staff to support its continuing growth.
Marketing specialist Anna-Marie Healy has joined the team based at Old Station House in Old Town, Swindon as office manager.
With a background in project management and marketing, which included more than a decade working
Networkers will hear from Paul Brown, corporate manager at Handelsbanken, Swindon.
Handelsbanken has branches around 450 branches in Sweden, and has identified the UK as an opportunity for growth. It
New Ipsos MORI research commissioned by Swindon-based Nationwide Building Society said 43 percent of the UK’s 5.7m microbusinesses and 55 percent of sole traders are relying on personal accounts.
The news broke yesterday (Monday) before the Japanese car manufacturer had informed workers.
BELECTRIC and Powerstar, both specialists in renewable energy engineering, have been appointed following a tender and procurement process.
Despite working for a rival car dealership Scott Albison (19), from Highworth, bought a new Suzuki Swift Sport from Swindon dealership Pebley Beach – and was so impressed with the
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Glass for Europe has welcomed the review of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), but stated its opposition to repeal.
Glass for Europe, the European trade association of the flat glass sector and which includes NSG Group as a member, has called on the European Commission to undertake a limited revision of the CPR to tackle inefficiencies.
Acknowledging that the CPR and its predecessor, the Construction Products Directive, have been beneficial to the construction and glass sectors, Glass for Europe believes that the regulation could be improved in specific areas, as follows:
- a lighter CE Marking label that does not duplicate information already included in the Declaration of Performance
- a more efficient and transparent procedure for citing harmonised European Norms in the Official Journal of the EU
- a simplified and clearer procedure for setting new classes and thresholds, if pass / fail criteria can longer be used
Glass for Europe believes that these modifications could greatly improve the CPR and reinforce its spirit, objectives and smooth implementation. A paper explains the trade association's position on the review.


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Whitbread (LON:WTB)‘s stock had its “hold” rating reaffirmed by equities research analysts at Numis Securities in a note issued to investors on Thursday, ThisIsMoney.Co.Uk reports.
Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Shore Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 5,750 ($75.13) price target on shares of Whitbread in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a GBX 4,800 ($62.72) price target (down from GBX 4,875 ($63.70)) on shares of Whitbread in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on Whitbread from GBX 4,700 ($61.41) to GBX 4,500 ($58.80) and set a “sector performer” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Whitbread from GBX 5,400 ($70.56) to GBX 5,100 ($66.64) and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Finally, Liberum Capital boosted their target price on Whitbread from GBX 4,450 ($58.15) to GBX 4,800 ($62.72) and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 13th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Whitbread presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of GBX 5,019.23 ($65.59).
Shares of Whitbread stock opened at GBX 4,693 ($61.32) on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.31, a quick ratio of 5.77 and a current ratio of 5.90. The company has a market capitalization of $8.23 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.31. Whitbread has a one year low of GBX 3,870 ($50.57) and a one year high of GBX 5,162 ($67.45).
In related news, insider Nicholas Cadbury sold 2,166 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 4,619 ($60.36), for a total value of £100,047.54 ($130,729.83). Also, insider Louise Smalley sold 232 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 4,588 ($59.95), for a total value of £10,644.16 ($13,908.48).
Whitbread PLC operates hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops. The company operates through two segments, Premier Inn and Costa. It operates approximately 785 hotels with 72,466 rooms in the United Kingdom, as well as hotels under the Premier Inn brand name; hotels under the hub by Premier Inn brand name in the United Kingdom; and restaurants under the Brewers Fayre, Beefeater Grill, Bar+Block, and Table Table brands.
Recommended Story: Average Daily Trade Volume – What You Need to Know
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Former Terra Soft CEO Kai Staats will serve the new company as its Chief Operating Officer. Satoshi Miki, CEO of Fixstars, will continue to head the parent company in Japan. Fixstars has additional home offices in Montreal and Victoria, B.C., Canada "This acquisition completes...
Terra Soft will display the alpha version of its new product Tuesday at the Supercomputing Expo in Reno, Nev. However, the product will not ship until the second quarter of 2008, according to Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft Solutions Y-Film is a product formed from two separate ...
"Any time something creative is done with Linux on Power, it showcases a unique solution and stimulates others to also think outside of the box to recognize that we can choose to live in an other than Wintel world and still be viable, even thrive," Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft Solutions, told LinuxInsider...
"This is the first time the Power Architecture is being promoted in this manner. Through Power.org [thesponsors] are pushing hard for Power to be recognized for the incredible inroads and foundation itmaintains in a wide variety of industries -- military, telco, automobile, spaceborne and interplanetary andconsumer," Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft Solutions, told LinuxInsider...
This year's event will expand upon the successes of last year's initial goals for the Hack-a-Thon. It focused on using the Sony PS3s in a cluster, giving demonstrations for the use of Terra Soft Solution's Y-HPC Cluster Construction suite, Cluster Resources' Torque and Moab and Mercury's MultiCore Framework SDK, said Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft Solutions...
"Power is used to manage back-end corporate infrastructure, to serve applications and for grid computing. Insurance companies, banks and Wall Street use Power. Your every cell phone call at some point is processed by a Power Architecture blade," said Kai Staats, CEO of Yellow Dog Linux developer Terra Soft and a cheerleader for Power.org, an association of hardware technology companies, software and individual developers of Power Architecture...
"The purpose was to bring individuals from IBM, Freescale, and PA Semi into the same room with developers, end users and independent software vendors (ISVs) in order to stimulate conversation, collaboration and ultimately an improved ecosystem," said Kai Staats, CEO of Yellow Dog Linux developer Terra Soft. He presented a key address, "The Business Case For Software on Power," at the summit...
Kai Staats, CEO of Yellow Dog Linux developer Terra Soft, presented a key address on "The Business Case For Software on Power" and an overview of the HPC Consortium (high-performance computing) and that organization's first Hack-a-thon held in January. Staats founded the HPC Consortium in January...
"E17 was an industry first, an exciting transition away from the norms of KDE and Gnome to something fresh, aesthetically new, and simpler to use," Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft Solutions, told LinuxInsider. "Only YDL ships with E17 by default, with KDE and Gnome available on the Install DVD."
Terra Soft Solutions is one of several companies that provide board support packages for the Yellow Dog Linux version, said Kai Staats, CEO of Terra Soft. Yellow Dog Linux is a popular operating system for the PowerPC architecture besides the well-known Apple OS "This project ...
Kai Staats, co-founder and CEO of Terra Soft Solutions, told LinuxInsider that the XR9 offers board-level design that sets it apart from other Power Architecture solutions Comparing XR9 To Apple(s)...
With the close of part one of this column [Kai Staats "The Cell Phone Calls," MacNewsWorld, July 28, 2004], my first reaction was to toss my cell phone from the car, to teach it who was in control But the thought of the look on my bookkeeper's face when I would explain why I n...
I am honored to be invited to write for MacNewsWorld. As one who isdaily entrenched in Linux and high performance computing, it may be expectedthat I would write about the battle between Linux and Windows, PowerPC andIntel. But I do that for a living. I need a break, a creative outlet for thosethoughts that otherwise remain trapped between brain, fingers andkeyboard...


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Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) has referred Impetus Automotive Ltd, trading as Toyota First, to UK Trading Standards for allegedly making false claims about its synthetic engine oil.
Tag: Environment and Regulatory watch
VW no longer excluded from US public sector contracts, but is among other automakers that may not be ready for Euro WLTP regs.
The API is set to review the standards development process following the nine year development period for the lastest GF-6 spec. But the approved spec could now roll-out faster than expected across EMEA.
American regulator, EPA, reveals document proposing total ban on four of five additives under the Toxic Substances Control Act which could impact lubes industry.
The Indonesian National Standard for Lubricants is no longer volunary after 10 years.
US regulators have proposed new plans for lorries and vans to cut emissions to 2027.
New legislation and questionable metrics could make life harder for WeChat marketers
Lower emissions and better fuel efficiency have been met by manufacturers in diesel technology.
M-commerce is poised for significant growth in 2014, according to IDC\n
While the WTO Bali agreement may be good for global trade and the lubes industry, there is a need for more stringent policing of lubes standards. REACH may also be having a negative impact.


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Summer wouldn't be summer without Love Island. Dominating ITV for the last 4 years Love Island is hard to escape. Fan or not its everywhere and comes with it is a whole new shipment of 'influencers'.
Now the show is done for this year, the spin-off reunion just aired a few days ago, it's safe to say the champagne was poured and the ‘what are your plans now?’ conversations arose. And without a doubt there'll be probably be a potential book deal on offer for someone in their 20s to divulge in a ‘tell all’, a collaboration with a clothing line and probably some sort of hair vitamins that also make your nails grow, but who can blame these companies for taking advantage of the ‘Love Island effect’? With the popularity of previous series ‘Inthestyle’ clothing company, who have just a mere 2 million Instagram followers, coupled up with 2018 winner Dani Dyer and created a clothing line which was showcased to her 3.5 million Instagram followers for weeks before launching and ultimately selling out on its release week. This is just one example of a brand capitalising on the instant popularity of a contestant to reach a bigger audience than they alone would be capable of exposing their products to (without bigger budgets). This not only improves their awareness but likely repeat business as if customers were satisfied with the products.
As most of the islanders are already branded as ‘social media influencers’ even before entering the show, their popularity online only grows as they appear on every television across the country 7 nights a week. Which is why it makes sense as to when competitors leave the villa that they are approached instantly by brands to become ‘ambassadors’ or to sponsor their products. Now more than ever, companies and brands can reach their whole audience by a simple click of a button due to the growing use of social media. For the first time this year contestants were given a 'survival kit' by the Advertising Standards Authority to ensure they are not breaking any rules when it comes to promoting brands on their social media.
Marketing as we know, has significantly changed and no longer buying ad space in a newspaper or a 20 second slot between EastEnders and Coronation Street the way to go anymore, nowadays apps such as Instagram and Facebook are flooded by new products being promoted on account holders’ newsfeeds predominately by ‘reality stars’ or ‘influencers the cost of which is less but still pricey. A post from a Love Island contestant can be up to £7k!*
Influencer marketing is a key feature now for companies when promoting products as these people treat their ‘followers’ like friends. Constant posts on social media platforms allow the public to see a snapshot of the luxurious life that these influencers live unlike the more private approach by traditional celebrities. Many of these influencers have built their careers by revealing everything to the public, this has given those who followed their careers the feeling that they are relatable and normal. Leaving consumers asking themselves: “if they love that product, that must mean I will too?”
So, should you use an influencer in your marketing strategy? Well, like anything there are pros and cons, they do; target an audience, build trust, and drive engagement with a few posts but how sustainable is it? How long will they be 'popular' and what if they do something wrong? There is most definitely a place for it but you do need to tread carefully and ensure who you pick is right for your brand.


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Instant Payments Are at the Heart of the New Global Payments Landscape: 10 Trends to Watch in 2018
2017 was a big year for immediate payments: European Banking Association, Real-Time 1 (EBA RT1) SEPA Credit Transfer Instant, The Clearing House (TCH) Real-Time Payments in the U.S., and the Australian New Payments Platform (NPP) schemes, all either going live, or in the case of Australia, about to go live. These schemes enable real-time payment transfers across the United States, 34 European countries and Australia, with the potential to reach nearly another 1 billion people. This comes on top of the existing live schemes in the UK, China and India, so that over half of the global population now can access real-time payments solutions.
Instant payments are at the heart of a new global payments landscape – within a few years, all payments will be either instant or initiated in bulk and processed instantly, 24x7, and credit transfers will dominate. The payer will be in control through overlay service like Request for Pay (RfP), and transaction volumes will be 10 times – or perhaps 100 times – greater than they are today.
Here are my own 10 trends for 2018 that will drive these changes:
1. More new schemes will go live
2018 will see a number of new schemes going live: Pan European ECB TIPS, Belgium, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, DR Congo, Hong Kong and Malaysia will all launch their own national real-time payments schemes. France, the Netherlands and Hungary, plus potentially Colombia and Peru, will follow suit in 2019 (Hungary with a mandatory scheme). The financial institutions in those countries have a lot of decisions to make, and their work cut out for them, to be ready in time.
2. Business cases are crucial for success of instant payments (IP)
We will see more financial institutions developing business cases for IP. It is fair to say that so far only a minority of banks have embraced long-term digital strategies. We expect this to change in 2018 as more financial institutions are beginning to understand that instant payments are not just a ‘fancy technology,’ but a new way to engage and nurture clients, whether consumers, SMEs or corporates. Successful IP implementation requires new organizational and business models, a new vision, and the understanding of IP as a vehicle for adding extra revenue.
3. New entrants
Instant payments will act as a springboard for innovation – mobile, POS, e-Invoicing and eCommerce payment solutions are all enabled by instant payments systems. New market entrants, free of the shackles of complex legacy IT systems, are agile and responsive to consumer demands. If banks are to avoid becoming marginalized in the payments market by these new kids on the block, and maintain hold of valuable customer interactions, data and revenue sources, they need to step up to the instant payments table.
4. Request to Pay
In 2019, the UK Faster Payments Scheme and the EBA are expected to launch ‘Request to Pay,’ a flexible new payments service. The US has already launched a similar service in 2017. Of course, ‘Request to Pay’ (also called real-time debit) would not be possible without immediate payments.
Designed to provide a flexible way for payments to be made and received, the new service could include notifications for consumers and businesses about upcoming bills, allowing them to change payment dates to suit their needs. We believe that ‘Request to Pay’ has the potential to revolutionize payments, helping millions of consumers and billers to better manage their payments, as well as enabling fintechs and retailers to offer innovative new ways to purchase goods and services.
5. Moving traditional ACH payments onto IP rails
The proliferation of immediate payments will also accelerate the trend of moving traditional ACH payments onto IP rails. The Dutch have been the first to team up as a banking community and declare ‘instant as the new norm.’ When the Dutch scheme has gone live in 2019, it will turn off ACH processing and get rid of all legacy platforms. Expect other countries, such as Australia and the UK, to follow suit.
6. Growing volumes
As more banks join the various schemes, transaction volumes are expected to grow rapidly. According to the ‘Instant Payments and the Post PSD2 Landscape Report 2017’ from Ovum, three-quarters of a trillion euros in annual retail expenditure across Europe is set to switch to instant payments by the end of 2027. Today, many banks’ IT systems simply don’t have the capacity, performance or resilience for higher transaction volumes. This negatively impacts the customer experience required for a digital, cashless society driven by open banking and micro-payments (from The Internet of Things).
7. Shift to instant cross-border payments
Making efficient and cost-effective cross-border payments remains a basic need for companies operating internationally. However, to date, sending payments cross-border in most cases still relies on the same procedures and technologies that have facilitated payments since the 1970s.
As scheme ubiquity increases and volumes grow, the move toward instant cross-border payments will be the logical next step. While SEPA Inst is a cross-border scheme, it still involves only one currency. The first multi-currency cross-border IP scheme may be launched in Asia, where the ASEAN Payments Network (APN), driven by Malaysia’s PayNet, is exploring cross-border links with Thailand and Singapore.
8. The ongoing move to ISO 20022
Real-time payments are based on a messaging standard that offers richer data: ISO 20022. This drives improved efficiency and innovation within a bank’s own operations, and the ability to analyze data to create tailored solutions for larger corporate customers. We are seeing more schemes being built with ISO 20022; this in turn will further accelerate the trend away from legacy infrastructure, more integrated 24x7 systems, and new ways to monetize data.
9. Big Data
The use of Big Data is likely to transform the way products and services are provided to consumers, at a better quality and with more cost-effective solutions. Big Data also means the ability to process and analyse data to unlock income-generating insights, revealing patterns or correlations and predicting future events. The latter holds the greatest promise for financial institutions, as there is more scope for value-added, revenue-generating services to be developed.
In the digital world, ID and security are of paramount importance. We already see the increased use of biometrics and three-factor authentication. Many new immediate payment schemes that will go live in the next few years come with built-in ID management systems, with proxy databases allowing payments from email address, mobile phone number, government ID numbers and car number plates.
The explosion of immediate payments schemes, regulation, and innovative technology have influenced a new, faster-than-ever payments ecosystem. To remain competitive, payment intermediaries (processors, PSPs, fintechs and networks must evolve their business models to meet the demands of today’s speed-needy customers.Download our report to read more about faster payments trends and their implications: www.aciworldwide.com/npefastreport
Related Blog Posts
Instant Payments in Italy – And Beyond: Lessons from Il Salone dei Pagamenti
ACI was invited back to Il Salone dei Pagamenti – Italy’s premier payments event organized by the Italian Banking Association (ABI) – to participate in a panel, “SEPA Inst – the Future.” As expected, the session was packed with stats and advice for a more efficient roll out of instant payments – in Italy and beyond.
Dedicated Followers of Fintech: Why Transaction Banking Never Goes Out of Fashion
Taking part in a panel at a recent corporate treasury conference, I was introduced as a ‘consumer payments expert’ – not an obvious qualification for sharing stage-time with serious corporate liquidity and cash management folk, but as the talk track was on mobile wallets and Open Banking, I had some reasonably safe and relevant content on which to fall back.
Sibos Preview: The Five Trends Transforming Real-Time Payments
Real-time is now a reality, with more than 30 schemes live around the world. And real-time is in the spotlight as banks and financial service providers make their way to Sydney for Sibos 2018. What better time to look ahead at the key trends that are going to shape the ongoing development of real-time payments.
API Management: The Reason Digital Open Banking Can Fly
When it comes to thinking about the different roles that an API Manager can play for an organization, I personally think that an airport provides the perfect analogy. The customer is the passenger, the third-party organizations using a bank’s APIs are the airlines and the airport itself is the bank. I also think this analogy helps to visualize the variety of API management capabilities – including the role of an API gateway.
Can Corporate Banking be as Easy as Ordering Pizza?
ACI recently hosted Greenwich Associates on a webinar to discuss corporate banking. While not a topic that would usually make attendees salivate, the discussion turned toward ordering pizza (maybe, because it was close to lunchtime) and Greenwich highlighted how corporate banking should be as easy as ordering pizza.
Modernizing Cross-Border Transfers with SWIFT gpi
The customer experience for domestic payments – retail and corporate – has recently undergone a complete transformation. There’s still plenty more that could be achieved, but the advent of real-time payments in combination with open APIs has seen the launch of Request for Payment services and direct eCommerce instant payments in the UK and Europe. And it’s not just the PSD2 push in Europe that’s driving change – in the U.S., Zelle is moving beyond standalone P2P payments to become an integrated part of the retail banking app experience, as well as being included in new kinds of corporate disbursements.
Instant + Open Payments = A Winning Combination
I recently joined a panel discussion at EBAday 2018, alongside representatives from across the payments ecosystem, and the clear consensus was that real-time payments will be the new normal. This was evidenced by some of the interactive polls carried out.
Maintain Vs. Invest: What the Digital Era Ushers in for Banks
Taking place this week in Brussels, the European Credit Research Institute (ECRI) will host a high-level debate on how policymakers can build on the process of digitalisation of banks to raise competitiveness in light of increased competition from fintech start-ups and tech giants.
How the Merchant Payment Ecosystem Can Create Value in Instant Payments
Recently, ACI conducted some research into the appetite to make use of instant payments among corporates. The results were overwhelmingly favorable, but when we think about the benefits of immediate payments for corporates, it does seem obvious that they would want to leverage this new payment type.
Real-Time Payments Will be Europe’s Most Dominant Payments System – Are You Ready to Realize the Full Value?
Since the launch of the SCT Inst rulebook in November 2017, many more banks are live and offering real-time payments to their customers, with most of the rest committed to 2018. The buzzword at the recent ECB #TIPSapp Event in Frankfurt was ‘Interoperability,’ or as my friend José Beltrán from STET would say, ‘Reachability.’ No-one expressed this more clearly on February 6th than Javier Santamaria, President of the European Payments Council, when he reiterated his message from Il Salone Dei Pagamenti, the day after the SEPA launch; "We have launched the Pan-EU scheme, now it is up to you in the audience and beyond to take advantage of it and make it work."


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Mobile Phones: AI
iPad & Tablets: AI
News & Reviews: AI
Last Updated: May 21, 2021
Food delivery is probably one of the services that people can't go without during the pandemic. To up the game, Grab has announced that it will start its pilot robot runner service at Paya Lebar Quarter Mall (a mall located in Singapore) to help in handling orders across several restaurants within the mall.
Last Updated: May 20, 2021
Mid-range chipsets are becoming more trendy now thanks to the market demands. In Qualcomm's latest development, the company have just announced a brand new Snapdragon 778G 5G Mobile Platform. Here's everything you need to know about the mid-range chipset.
Last Updated: Mar 31, 2021
Digital maps have become an important tool for many of us today. Apps like Google Maps help make navigation easier, but it's only going to get better from now on. In fact, Google plans to introduce over 100 more features in 2021, including Live View.
Last Updated: Mar 13, 2021
As many of you know, advances in technology lead to improved products and platforms. These advances are sometimes achieved with our help, indirectly or not. Now, Facebook has a new technology that takes advantage of the content uploaded by its users.
Last Updated: Dec 08, 2020
In order to combat the dip in fertility rate, Japan has plans to allocate around 2 billion yen (~RM78k) to fund an AI tech to help matchmake individuals to increase the birth rate in the country. While there are already human-run matchmaking services available, the AI system could potentially increase the success of getting individuals matched.
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2020
If you watch a lot of YouTube videos, there's a good chance that you might have come across some lengthy videos with chapter timelines. That said, it's also a lot of work for YouTubers to manually input the details which you can find in the description video.
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2020
As you know, the Covid-19 cases in our country have hit an all-time high a few days ago. Our government has also started to applied stricter MCO rules across the red zones to prevent the virus from continuing spreading throughout the country. While it's obvious that the pandemic is far from coming to an end, Facebook is trying to fight it with the help of an AI algorithm.
Last Updated: Oct 15, 2020
Based on a statement by gizmochina, it seems that Xiaomi’s sub-brand Youpin has recently unveiled the Dabai super-power ion smart toilet that’s also voice-activated at the price of RMB3599 (~RM2221). However, due to the fact that it was crowdfunded, the smart toilet will go on sale for a cheaper price of RMB2288 (~RM1411) for a limited time.
Last Updated: Jul 14, 2020
Although this is the era of 5G, the technology hasn't been fully adopted by most of the major countries yet. As 5G is still on its way to global domination, Samsung has already started to focus on developing the next-generation 6G network. Today, things are getting real as they have shared their vision on 6G in black-and-white with the public.
Last Updated: Jul 07, 2020
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used on various tech products to make them smarter and more helpful. However, we never expect that one day we will see the technology being used together with a mattress. It is reported that Xiaomi is currently crowdfunding a smart mattress that has several cool features with the price starting from 4,599 Yuan (~RM2,799).


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Jeep Cherokee revealed ahead of Detroit motor show
21 December, 2017, 01:39 | Author: Harriet Bell
Jeep released a few photos of the 2019 Cherokee ahead of its Detroit auto show debut, and lo and behold, the weird stacked-headlight design is gone. Jeep hasn't revealed anything other than these images, so we'll have to wait until the full debut in January to find out about any mechanical changes. Beginning with the former, the "dual headlight" design is no more as Jeep gave the 2019 Cherokee a more contemporary look.
And anoraks will note that the bars of the signature seven slated grille are shorter and chunkier (another nod to the Compass) and that the number plate has migrated from the rear bumper to a restyled tailgate.
Although Jeep has revealed the crossover's design nearly a month ahead of its in-the-flesh debut, the company is keeping details about the car's drivetrain and specifications under wraps for now. It is not yet known whether they will be new or updates of the current units. The SUV also comes with electrically operable ORVMs, side cladding, and some bold character lines. For example, new taillights feature an orange section outlining their lower section, and a revised bumper has a larger section of metallic trim.
Flu Vaccine Could Work as Well as Last Year's Shot
The vaccine has been offered to eligible children in reception class and school Years 1 to 4 in primary school. Most live influenza vaccines contain trace amounts of egg protein , because of the way they're manufactured.
Hardik alleges EVMs can be hacked
Patel alleged that the voting machines in Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad were tampered with as the margin there was very less. He said that if there is no malfunctioning of the machines, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose the elections.
At the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, Mike Manley, who heads Jeep and Ram for Fiat Chrysler, said Cherokee "is really important for the brand.because it enters the biggest SUV segment in the world, and we'll build on the progress that we made with today's Cherokee".
The images signal a more conventional face that appears to consolidate last year's split-level design, with fanglike running lights above sunken headlights into a single bezel.
Moorhead states that enabling in-display fingerprint sensors on smartphones so far has been a manufacturability issue. As for Vivo , the brand isn't too popular in the west, but it's one of the biggest smartphone brands in the world.
Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams uses a sharp cut to gain 9 yards and a first down during Sunday's matchup against Carolina. Adams left the game in the 3rd quarter with a concussion, after Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis laid out an illegal hit.
NIO is a Chinese start-up founded in 2014 that designs and develops smart, high-performance electric vehicles under the NIO brand. Despite being much cheaper than its USA -based rival, the Nio ES8 sounds like it can hold its own against the Model X.
Aside from a few reports of screen issues, there are really no reasons to not pick up this year's Google devices. Google team members have since been compiling bug reports and has acknowledged the issue on its support side.
Mr Harbor said IMPACT had spoken to senior Ryanair management, telling them they were ready to meet them at any time. In Spain , there are no strikes planned for pilots but ground staff unions have not ruled out action on 30 December.
It started with Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and is growing with the latest The Nutcracker and the Four Realms . On Tuesday, the House of Mouse dropped the first teaser trailer for their take on The Nutcracker .
Under Ofcom's new rules, mobile providers will also be banned from charging for notice periods running after the switch date. The sweeping reforms introduced by Ofcom will enable customers to text their mobile providers to receive a code to change.
Giving Thomas a practice run with the Charge should also brighten the prospects of the Cavs giving a definite date for his return. Apparently, Thomas still hasn't practiced with the team in a full-court setting since they rarely hold practices.
This time, the sequel focuses on Benicio del Toro's Alejandro, who was a force of nature in the first film. The war on drugs has escalated, and the cartels are escorting terrorists over the USA and Mexico border.
One attacker set off a suicide vest at the main entrance of the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church , the Washington Post reported . Dozens of Christians gathered outside a nearby hospital to protest the lack of security.
How are you delivering your Christmas packages?
Nothing quite beats receiving a special delivery in time for Christmas. except perhaps magically finding presents under the tree. "All the people who get their gifts and packages, to then return them, we have return service, and that will be heavy".
After US veto, UNGA to meet on Jerusalem status
Egypt had put forward the draft at the council which was backed by all 14 other Security Council members in the vote on Monday. Mansour said on Monday he hoped there would be "overwhelming support" in the General Assembly for the resolution.
Toyota employees step up for Salvation Army
Students have been participating in this drive for five years, and in that time frame, more than 7,000 toys have been donated. The organization also is gearing up for its Angel Tree distribution of food baskets and toys Wednesday and Thursday.


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In case you didn’t already know, Tetris is being made into a movie. This was already pretty surprising, considering the venerable puzzle game has no story or plot of any kind. What’s even more surprising is today’s news that Tetris will actually be made into…..
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Warner Bros. has been pushing its games a lot lately and it looks like the publisher is not slowing down anytime soon. They are set to support the upcoming Xbox One Project Scorpio, Nintendo NX and presumably the PS4 Neo in the near future. VentureBeat…..
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Some games outside of the mainline of Mario series have been getting announced today, with Mario Party: Star Rush coming to the 3DS later this year. However, we also learned the release date for the highly-anticipated Paper Mario: Color Splash for Wii U, which is…..
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It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten any new information about the upcoming legend of Zelda game, though that will change next month when the game will be Nintendo’s sole E3 offering. However, Nintendo is giving fans a shot at actually playing the game…..
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By Parke Shall
The purchase of Whole Foods (WFM) by Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) that was reported on Friday of last week sent the entire grocery and retail sector into a tailspin. Names like Target (NYSE:TGT), Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), Costco (NASDAQ:COST) and Sprouts Farmers Markets (NASDAQ:SFM) were decimated as both Whole Foods stock and Amazon stock had great days on the news.
The names sunk the hardest in the morning around 10 am EST before a small bid back up into the afternoon. Amazon finished the day up 2.4%, adding more in market cap than it did with its acquisition.
One of the hardest hit out of all of the stocks on Friday was Target as you can see from the chart below.
We bought a little bit of Target on Friday to add to a very long-term and extremely small holding that we have had for years. We bought instinctively, as we generally will always add shares of a stock that we are holding for the long term when it sells off significantly, especially if the news isn't directly related to Target's business.
This was the case on Friday. However, as we took most of the day Friday and some of the morning Saturday to once again think about the circumstances and consequences of Whole Foods being purchased by Amazon, we can see why companies like Wal-Mart and Target would see the brunt of the pain from such an acquisition.
Target differs from Whole Foods and it obviously differs from grocers in the sense that it does not just primarily sell groceries. Over the last couple of years, major chains like Target and Wal-Mart have tried to make a point of expanding their grocery selection, inclusive of organics and items that would normally be found at Whole Foods.
This has been a spot of growth for companies like Target as it wasn't always a business that they were fully invested in. As these companies focus more and more on grocery, the takeover of Whole Foods becomes a little bit more of a noticeable threat to companies like Target and Wal-Mart. Grocery is a large part of both chains' growth strategies.
We are less worried about companies like Sprouts, Kroger (NYSE:KR) and Costco. If anything, this purchase demonstrates that there's a climate of possible acquisitions that could be undertaken in the grocery sector. It is the companies that are caught in the middle, trying to do both grocery and other items like Target and Wal-Mart that are the most at risk, we believe.
Companies like Sprouts have a chance because they could be seen as a potential acquisition similar to the way WFM was acquired. Companies like Costco still have a chance because of their differentiated business model and strong management. And finally, Kroger's 3000 stores not likely to be going anywhere anytime soon and these doors will open for operations on Monday the very same way that they did on Thursday before the Amazon news broke. The only difference is that their stock will be trading at a fairly significant discount. The cash flow streams for these companies continue to be robust:
When looking for opportunities in the sell-off, we would consider Kroger, Sprouts, and Costco before we would consider buying Wal-Mart and Target. That isn't to say we wouldn't buy WMT or TGT (again, we bought TGT on Friday). Although Wal-Mart has spent a significant amount of money to go out and acquire jet.com in order to bolster its online business, Target has yet to make such a transformative acquisition and could really be one of the more at-risk players from this transaction.
However, we are not extremely upset with our purchase of Target shares on Friday. Target is a cash-generative company that pays a nice yield and has a storied history to fall back on. As you can see, its yield spiked to 4.56% on Friday as the stock fell.
We got a good price and were able to get some shares under $50 and we think the bearish effect of Amazon acquiring Whole Foods is still going to be a couple of years out. That will give these other retail and grocery companies a chance to make significant changes on their own and it will give them a few more years to generate steady cash, which is what Target has done for a long time.
We believe that all of these retail names are attractively priced after Friday's sell-off. Amazon acquiring Whole Foods may not even have any type of profound effect on the market for many years to come. Even then, stores like Wal-Mart and Target could move to launch competing "in house delivery" products. Companies like Costco already offer free shipping. Just because Amazon now owns Whole Foods doesn't mean that we're going to see some seismic shift in the retail landscape. If you are looking to bargain-hunt, we don't think any of these companies are a terrible idea for purchase here, although we would focus on names like Sprouts and Costco and measure our allocation to names like Wal-Mart and Target.
On Monday morning these stores will open their doors and do business the same way they did last week. Except their stocks will all be trading at a discount. We're buyers into this fear.
Disclosure: I am/we are long KR, COST, TGT. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Acccording to stock-watcher stock.ourxun.com production of the OPOC opposed-piston engine is expected to begin this year.
Some sources suggest the unusual powertrain will prove a major breakthrough in engine development, but it is unlikely to be released for production until engine development has been signed off as this could have profound effect upon decisions affecting final machining, especially of the unique cylinder block.
Compared to current conventional turbocharged diesel engines, OPOC engine has half the number of parts and its weight is said to be cut by 30 per cent.
In addition to fewer parts and lower weight the developers claim high thermal efficiency, lower fuel consumption and emissions that can achieve Euro V1 requirements.
It is said to have the benefit too of being able to run on a variety of fuels including natural gas, gasoline, CNG and gasoline as well as diesel fuel.
Some sources suggests a fuel consumption of 2.4 l/100km.
However, the chartered waters of opposed piston development stretching back 75 years have not so far yielded good results. But there can always be a first time.
Zhongding Power sees the engine as having potential in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, off-highway machinery and military vehicles.
First announcing the engine, Zhongding Power declared an investment of over US $200 million in the plant in China which would have a capacity of 150,000 engines a year, with over “US $1 billion in revenue potential”.
“High-volume production is expected to begin in 2014”, Zhongding Power declared at the time. EcoMotors Inc. of Allen Park, Michigan conceived the idea of the OPOC engine.
It will be recalled that recently Cummins Inc. teamed with Achates Power Inc. of San Diego, California to develop opposed-piston engine technology.
Alson according to the CEO of EcoMotors , Amit Soman will the chinese purposebulit factory in Anchui start production this year.
From Oct 2014
"As of right now, it looks like (production from the China plant) will be back end of next year"
As the chinese facory and EcoMotors are cooperating this seems likely. We will wait and see. I think this production will be followed by a major relese worldwide.
We are nearing the end of 2015 and still no word on production!
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Tales of Arise new trailer shows off Hammer and Shield fighter Kisara
A new trailer for Tales of Arise arrived last Friday. This time, another new character arrived to join the party.
The new character’s name is Kisara, and she joins Alphen, Shionne, Law, and Rinwell in the growing list of new Tales characters. This lady knight is described as “a close-quarter fighter who uses a hammer and shield so she can guard instead of evading.” This makes her a strong tank that won’t be afraid to take some hits while dishing out some of her own.
Another recent trailer released last week showed off new characters, locations, and features for the game. There will be more coming up for Tales of Arise, in what could be the most ambitious game in the Tales franchise thus far. It is the seventeenth title in the Tales series, and is being developed using Unreal Engine 4.
Tales of Arise was first announced way back in E3 2019 and was originally slated for a 2020 release. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the development cycle of the game. The delay was also used to make the game compatible with next-gen hardware. Now, it’s slated for a September 10, 2021 release date. It’s due to come out simultaneously on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One.


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The Metropolitan Museum of Art closed eight of its 23 stores nationwide, including the store at the South Street Seaport Museum earlier this year, due to poor sales. Spicy Pickle at 143 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights has decided to close and may be looking to move to Long Island. The Von Dutch store on Spring Street has closed after two years in business. Threads, a Pottery Barn Kids spin-off at 1451 Second Avenue between 75th and 76th streets, is closing after 15 months. Strider Records, at 22 Jones Street near Bleecker Street, could close any day. Other restaurants and stores have announced temporary closures. Nancy Koltes at Home said it is closed for company restructuring. John Varvatos at 122 Spring Street is closed for two weeks for renovations. Lucy’s, at 135 Avenue A, is closed until March 12. The ‘wichcraft kiosks in Herald and Greeley squares, on Broadway between 32nd and 35th streets, are closed until March 23, or earlier if the weather gets warmer. Frog Cafe in Soho is closed for renovations. Lastly, Mai House in Tribeca is now closed four days a week, Sunday through Wednesday. TRD
Museum shops, restaurants to close, etc.
TRD New York /
Feb.February 24, 2009 04:31 PM


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Pizza Hut Korea finds clever way to skirt Olympic marketing rules
The International Olympic Committee has attempted to crack down on unauthorized marketing that uses the Olympics to advertise a product, but it appears Pizza Hut’s Korea division has found a loophole.
A screenshot from Yi Whan-woo of the Korea Times shows a sales promotion that has been used by Pizza Hut Korea during the Olympics, and it features the phrase “Pyengchang together.” Pyengchang, of course, is awfully similar to PyeongChang (the site of the Olympics), but it is simply a phrase that means “inflation” or “expansion.” The promotion is offering customers a cheese topping and a bottle of Pepsi for free when they buy premium pizzas.
The IOC has asked several South Korean companies to refrain from ambush marketing if they are not paying to be official sponsors of the Olympics, which Pizza Hut Korea is not. However, an official from the company insists the “Pyengchang together” phrase has nothing to do with the 2018 Winter Games.
As of now, it does not sound like Olympic officials plan to take action.
“Using pyengchang is seen as no big deal as long as Olympic symbols and emblems are not used without authorization,” a PyeongChang Organizing Committee official said.
Unlike the guy who tried to sneak into the Olympic Village using fake documentation, it seems like Pizza Hut Korea may be onto something.


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The creation of the best hypercar company, joining of two complementary forces – Bugatti and Rimac Automobili was announced at a live conference at the iconic 14th-century fortress in Dubrovnik, built upon a 37-meter high sheer rock overlooking the sea – Lovrijenac Fortress. Together with Porsche AG and Bugatti, Rimac Automobili is planning to make the future more exciting than ever. On this special occasion, Oliver Blume (CEO of Porsche), Lutz Meschke (Deputy Chairman and CFO of Porsche) and Mate Rimac announced their aspirations for their future years of cooperation.
The joint venture will have its headquarters in Zagreb (Croatia) and is scheduled to be established in the fourth quarter of 2021. This is subject to the prior approval of antitrust authorities in several countries. Rimac will hold a 55 per cent share in the Bugatti Rimac joint venture, while Porsche will have a 45 per cent share. Porsche also holds a 24 per cent share in Rimac directly. Bugatti will be brought into the joint venture by current owner Volkswagen. The shares will then be transferred to Porsche. Combining the genes of two strong brands, Bugatti-Rimac will form an attractive automotive company – for customers as well as for employees.
Under the umbrella of the new company, the Bugatti and Rimac brands will initially produce two hypercar models: the Bugatti Chiron and the all-electric Rimac Nevera. Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. will continue to exist in the new joint venture. Bugatti models will still be produced at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France. This production facility is world-renowned for its perfectionism and its excellence in the areas of design and craftsmanship. Jointly developed Bugatti models are planned for the longer term.
Porsche entered into a successful partnership with Rimac three years ago. “This joint venture is the provisional culmination of a strategic chain of investments,” says Lutz Meschke, Member of the Executive Board for Finance. “We already purchased the first shares in Rimac in 2018 and have successively increased our shareholding since then. We established a close relationship with Mate and his extremely innovative team very early on. We are now benefiting from that. Thanks to its know-how, Rimac will now help us to successfully lead an emotive and important brand into the future. I am very proud and delighted that we have brought this joint venture to fruition in spite of many challenges. Today is a good day for Bugatti and Rimac, Porsche and also for the Volkswagen Group.”
Porsche will play a strong role in the joint venture as a strategic partner. Oliver Blume and Lutz Meschke (Deputy Chairman and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT at Porsche AG) will become members of the Supervisory Board at Bugatti-Rimac. Mate Rimac will be the CEO of the joint venture. When it is founded, the joint venture will have approximately 430 employees – around 300 at the company headquarters in Zagreb and 130 at the Bugatti site in Molsheim.


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The Esports Awards, the Oscars of esports, is excited to announce the full list of winners from this year’s ceremony which were unveiled during an industry-first virtual celebration that saw millions of viewers tune in. Hosted by Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere and presented by the likes of WWE Superstar Xavier Woods, renowned DJ Steve Aoki, and Tottenham footballer and EXCEL ESPORTS brand ambassador Dele Alli, over thirty awards were given out, more than ever before, showcasing the Esports Awards’ commitment to recognising every corner of the industry.
Esports is a billion-dollar industry that houses millions of fans and has seen big brands and big faces like TikTok, Louis Vuitton, Lexus, David Beckham, Drake, and Spotify enter the space. The Esports Awards is the only global annual ceremony that celebrates and honors figures from all areas of the industry. 2020 marks a landmark year for the Esports Awards as it celebrates its fifth year of celebrating and recognising excellence in esports. This year is its most ambitious event to date, with big-name partners in Lexus and Verizon, as well as a groundbreaking virtual online ceremony in partnership with LiveCGI. The CGI studio is a truly immersive and true-to-life showcase which has been handcrafted by LiveCGI’s unique expertise and top grade technology.
Among the big winners for the night were Riot Games who took home Esports Publisher of the Year In Association with LiveCGI and Esports Game of the Year in association with The Koyo Store for League of Legends. The awards didn’t stop there with Esports Content Team of the Year going to the League of Legends European Championship and the LOL Season Opening being named Esports Creative Piece of the Year.
Team Secret took home an impressive three awards including Esports PC Player of the Year for Michał “Nisha” Jankowski, Esports Coach of the Year for Lee “Heen” Seung Gon, and the coveted Esports Team of the Year for its Dota 2 roster.
In the player categories, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro took home Esports Console Rookie of the Year in Partnership with SCUF and Esports Console Player of the Year in Partnership with SCUF after a breakthrough year which saw him take home multiple trophies including the biggest competition in the calendar, Call of Duty Championship. Elsewhere, Ryu “Keria” Min-seok picked up Esports PC Rookie of the Year In Association with Matrix Keyboards on the back of a stand out performance at the League of Legends World Championship and Made Bagas “Zuxxy” Pramudita took home Esports Mobile Player of the Year.
The full list of Esports Awards winners are:
- Esports Mobile Game of the Year presented by Verizon – Freefire
- Esports Publisher of the Year In Association with LiveCGI from Esports Supply – Riot Games
- Esports Game of the Year in association with The Koyo Store – League of Legends
- Esports Supporting Agency of the Year in association with Grind Gaming – CSA
- Esports Coverage Website of the Year in association with Sizzle Creative – Esports Observer
- Esports Play of the Year in association with Respawn – İsmailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş (BIG)
- Esports Creative/Creative Team of the Year in Association with eBeatz – Paper Crowns
- Esports Journalist of the Year – Emily Rand
- Esports Content Team of the Year – League of Legends European Championship
- Esports Content Creator of the Year In Association with Esports Stadium Arlington – UpUpDownDown
- Esports Caster of the Year (Play by Play) – Clayton “CaptainFlowers” Raines
- Esports Caster of the Year (Colour) – Michael “KiXSTAr” Stockley
- Esports Host of the Year – Eefje “Sjokz” Deporteere
- Esports PC Rookie of the Year In Association with Matrix Keyboards – Ryu “Keria” Min-seok (T1)
- Esports Console Rookie of the Year in Partnership with SCUF – Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro (Dallas Empire)
- Esports Mobile Player of the Year – Made Bagas “Zuxxy” Pramudita (Bigetron RA)
- Esports Console Player of the Year in Partnership with SCUF – Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro (Dallas Empire)
- Esports PC Player of the Year – Michał “Nisha” Jankowski (Team Secret)
- Esports Team of the Year – Team Secret (Dota 2)
- Esports Personality of the Year presented by Lexus – Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago
- Streamer of the Year Presented by Lexus – Ibai
- Esports Organisation of the Year – G2 Esports
- Esports Cosplay of the Year – Glory Lamothe
- Esports Creative Piece of the Year in association with eBeatz – LOL season opening
Last night the Esports Awards hosted the inaugural Esports Awards Prelude which saw a total of ten awards handed out. The winners included the likes of Logitech, Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill, and Eavesdrop Podcast. It also played host to the Lifetime Achievement in Esports Class of 2020 which honours individuals who have had a long-lasting impact and dedicated their professional life to improving the industry.
- Esports Collegiate Award – Tyrelle Appleton
- Esports Hardware Provider of the Year – Elgato
- Esports Commercial Partner of the Year – Logitech
- Lifetime Achievement in Esports – Class of 2020
- Johnathan “Fatality” Wendel
- Daigo Umehara
- Richard Lewis
- Craig “Torbull” Levine
- Michael Sepso
- Lim ‘Boxer’ Yo-Hwan
- Esports Photographer of the Year – Rich Loch
- Esports Videographer of the Year – Logan Dodson
- Esports Coach of the Year – Lee “Heen” Seung Gon (Team Secret)
- Esports Analyst of the Year – Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Esports Content Series of the Year – Eavesdrop Podcast
- Panel’s Choice Award in association with Touch of Ginger – Michal Slowinski
- Panel’s Choice Award in association with Touch of Ginger – Steve Dudenhoeffer
“It has been a milestone year, not just for the Esports Awards, but for the esports industry. We have been faced with many challenges and hurdles as well as opportunities to showcase how resilient and talent led our industry is. As we conclude our fifth year with more votes, more viewership, and more mainstream partners than ever before I am pleased that we were able to put together an ambitious virtual event to celebrate those who have really made a difference and continued to push our industry forward.” said Michael Ashford, Managing Director, Esports Awards


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TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian investment bank Canaccord Capital CCI.TO said on Thursday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter as it booked costs associated with the buyback of frozen commercial paper from its retail clients.
Canaccord said it lost C$35.2 million ($34.5 million), or 80 Canadian cents a share, for the three months ended March 31. That compared with profit of C$26 million, or 54 Canadian cents a share, a year earlier.
The firm, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, took a previously announced after-tax charge of C$39.6 million, or 82 Canadian cents a share, for its portion of a plan to buy back nonbank asset-backed commercial paper from more than 1,400 individual clients.
It subsequently issued 6.7 million shares in a C$69 million equity financing.
Canaccord wrote down C$4.2 million related to the ABCP that it holds, reflecting the company’s view of market conditions and the limited liquidity of the notes.
Excluding the charges and adjustments, net income for the quarter would have been C$7.2 million, or 15 Canadian cents a share, the company said.
An anonymous third party is participating in Canaccord’s ABCP relief program, which will cost up to C$138 million in total.
The asset-backed commercial paper was issued by about two dozen nonbank-sponsored trusts and it froze up last summer in the early days of the credit crunch.
A restructuring plan that will see new notes issued to investors was approved by an Ontario court last week, but some corporate noteholders are appealing the decision.
Canaccord retail clients may see their money in mid-July, depending on the timing of an appeal, the company said on June 6.
Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Peter Galloway


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Latest News & Resources
AT THE JUST concluded Lightfair International (LFI) 2013 trade show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the operative word was "BRIGHT."
"We're in a lumens [brightness level] race," several exhibitors explained. All to prove that their new-generation fixtures - most fired up by a mess of small, energy-efficient LEDs - put out a glow that beats older products using incandescent, halogen or flourescent bulbs.
There's also a big push on by LED lightbulb makers to make their new-gen bulbs glow like warm incandescent bulbs.
"Until recently, we had trouble selling LED fixtures and bulbs because they just weren't bright enough, and people didn't find the illumination flattering," said Michael Kurland, of Arch Street Lighting. "Now that's changing."
As the cost of raw LED components comes down and quality goes up, product makers can pack extra and more powerful LEDs on a fixture or inside a bulb. One bulb maker, Switch, even offers a rare three-way LED, a 30/60/75-watt equivalent.
And while we winced a couple years ago at the thought of spending $100 for one energy-efficient LED lightbulb, we're now seeing better, brighter, longer-life and dimmable bulbs at as little as $9 for a 40-watt equivalent and about $13 for a 60-watt replacement that offers the same illumination level (800 lumens) but only consumes 7.5 to 13 watts.
A $5 LED bulb that likewise lasts for up to 25,000 hours is a "near future goal" for GE, said the company's consumer lighting division manager John Strainic.
Just in the nick of time, too. Tightening federal regulations on the maximum allowable energy consumption per lumen of light output on bulbs has already pushed inefficient, 100-watt incandescent lightbulbs off the shelves. Production of 75-watt energy gobblers was banned in the U.S. in January. (Retailers can still sell off inventory.)
By mid-2014, even old-school 40- and 60-watt bulbs (though not pricier, more efficient, new-tech incandescents) "will be hard to find at Lowes," predicted Stainic. And looming limitations on contaminants may also doom the cold flourescent bulb species which contain mercury.
Lighting execs at the GE and Philips boothstouted the efficacy of replacing conventional street lamps with LED-fired variants. GE Capitol is jumping in, financing cities' swap-outs.
For Lightfair, Philips put out an impressive map of Philly spots illuminated with the company's new-age lighting, including the East Falls, South Street and Ben Franklin bridges, the exteriors of Boathouse Row and JFK Park.